On July 31, 2020, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) approved the national bank charter application of Varo Bank, N.A., a wholly-owned subsidiary of fintech Varo Money, Inc. The approved application is for a full-service charter, not the OCC’s controversial FinTech charter that is currently the subject of ongoing litigation.… Continue Reading
August 1, 2020
After Seila Law, Will Congress Change the CFPB’s Leadership Structure?
In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 29, 2020 decision in Seila Law LLC v. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which held that the CFPB’s leadership structure violates the separation of powers mandated by the U.S. Constitution and made the Bureau’s Director removable by the President at will, many are urging Congress to further reform the Bureau’s leadership structure, possibly by replacing the CFPB Director with a five-member commission.… Continue Reading
New York City Department of Consumer Affairs issues formal guidance on its new limited English proficiency debt collection rules
As discussed in our June 12th post, the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs (“DCA”) issued new debt collection rules related to limited English proficiency servicing. These rules took effect June 27, 2020, but due to the COVID-19 crisis, DCA provided the industry with a 60-day enforcement grace period until August 26, 2020.… Continue Reading
FFIEC Issues Joint Statement on Additional Loan Accommodations Related to COVID-19
On August 3, 2020, the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (“FFIEC”) issued a joint statement to provide prudent risk management and consumer protection principles for financial institutions to consider when working with borrowers as consumer and business loans near the end of initial loan accommodation periods during the coronavirus pandemic. The guidance notes that the principles outlined in the joint statement apply to both commercial and retail loan accommodations and are consistent with the Interagency Guidelines Establishing Standards for Safety and Soundness.… Continue Reading